Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: Bird on November 28, 2006, 04:42:52 AM

Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: Bird on November 28, 2006, 04:42:52 AM
Ok it could just be the cold I have but anyhoo..... VH2's arrived, cream and black, but the pups aren't labeled... how do I figure out which one is which   :?
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: JamesHealey on November 28, 2006, 08:55:31 AM
now thats an interesting question, if they're not label'd you need to measure the output with a DC reader and find which one's hotter i guess..
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: CaffeineJunkie on November 28, 2006, 09:11:30 AM
can you not look at where the wire comes out the bottom of the pup, as it should be nearest the controls etc. and then the screwpieces would tell you which one it was


or am i talking cr@p again???
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: Antag on November 28, 2006, 11:11:52 AM
Did you order 53mm spacing?  In which case the pole pieces on the bridge pickup will be wider apart (necks are always 50mm...)
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: gingataff on November 28, 2006, 12:08:17 PM
Or look at the logo on the bottoms, they should both read in the same direction, if they're upside down you've got your pickups back to front.
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: Antag on November 28, 2006, 01:07:07 PM
Quote from: CaffeineJunkie
can you not look at where the wire comes out the bottom of the pup, as it should be nearest the controls etc. and then the screwpieces would tell you which one it was


I'd have to look at the Holy Diver set I've got at home (haven't got round to fitting yet :)) but I don't think that works - the wire emerges from the side with the screws on both neck & bridge (i.e. the corner furthest from the controls on the neck pickup)

I think that gingataff is right.  If I understood his post correctly, do this:

Hold the pickups so that the pole pieces are horizontal with the back of the pickup facing you.
Turn them so that you can read the BKP logo the right way up.
The pickup with its screw coils on the bottom is the bridge.
The pickup with its screw coils on top is the neck.
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: Canadian Steve on November 28, 2006, 02:42:17 PM
I don't think matching up the logos the same way would work for all pickups.  I just bought a new set of Rebel Yells a few weeks ago and the logos were facing different directions when installing them the correct way - i.e. with the screw coils facing outwards.  I contacted BKPs and they said it didn't matter what way the logos were, as long as the screw coils are facing outwards.
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: Peter Antal on November 28, 2006, 03:17:39 PM
+1 to using a DC reader. It's a quick method that doesn't need any guessing... ;)
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: Bird on November 28, 2006, 07:52:09 PM
Matching up the logos doesn't work. How exactly does one use the DC reader?  Going to have to make a trip to pick one up I suppose.  Unfortunately we're getting dumped on with snow right now.
 :cry:
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: headtheball on November 28, 2006, 08:11:57 PM
Possibly a slightly daft solution, but...


If the bridge pickup is Hotter (ie, more coils/bigger magnets) wouldn't it be a bit heavier? You just need to get access to an accurate balance. You don't know any science teachers or lab techs, perchance?
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: Bird on November 28, 2006, 08:27:29 PM
Quote from: headtheball
Possibly a slightly daft solution, but...


If the bridge pickup is Hotter (ie, more coils/bigger magnets) wouldn't it be a bit heavier? You just need to get access to an accurate balance. You don't know any science teachers or lab techs, perchance?


One actually does seem heavier.... I wonder how accurate this method is  :)
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: Antag on November 29, 2006, 08:26:01 AM
OK, I just weighed both pickups of my HD set on the digital scales :lol: - The neck was 114g, the bridge 116g - i.e. a very small difference & probably not the same for VHIIs

Forget all that garbage I typed about the logos on the back - when correctly aligned the logo on the neck reads upside down so there's no way of telling that you'd got them the wrong way round by the logos (at least, not on mine) :(

It's obvious on my set which is which because I got 53mm spaced bridge (& they're laballed! :)) but if you got 50mm & have no label then I can't see how you can tell.

DC reader time....
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: Antag on November 29, 2006, 08:27:02 AM
Or you could just take a guess & install them - you've got a 50% chance of getting it right & it's fairly straightforward to swap them round if you get it wrong... :lol:
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: headtheball on November 30, 2006, 12:58:27 AM
Fair do's Antag.

Twas only an idea. Maybe not a weighing scale though. A simple balance beam would sort it out...
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: Bird on November 30, 2006, 05:34:12 AM
Quote from: Antag
Or you could just take a guess & install them - you've got a 50% chance of getting it right & it's fairly straightforward to swap them round if you get it wrong... :lol:


Well I ended up using the best "guess my weight" method, I had the Mrs. guess several times as well, and it seems I got it right. These things are amazing. The output is pretty close to the stock pups but no mud. Sweet tone and definition... how sweet it is  8)   Thanks for the help guys much appreciated
   :twisted:
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: headtheball on November 30, 2006, 05:33:24 PM
Gah!

Sometimes the daftest ideas are the best after all...
Title: Which one is neck pup.... new VH2's
Post by: Bird on November 30, 2006, 05:37:51 PM
Tim recommended trying the "guess the weight method" as well as the volt reader. It worked best if you held the first pickup for about 20 seconds before grabbing the other one.

Gotta say I love the 2 conductor wire install... sweet. Not like that experience I had with the 4 conductor  :?